Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to video applications and, in particular, to computer-implemented processes and apparatuses for positioning windows such that the display of other important information is not obscured.
Description of the Related Art
Computer systems commonly display information on video monitors through the use of overlapping windows. Referring now to prior art video display 100 of FIG. 1, there is shown a rectangular video screen 101 displaying two rectangular windows 102 and 103. Parent window 102 is, in the illustrated example, a window that displays a "snapshot" or video image (image not shown), for further viewing, selection, or manipulation by a user. Often a new window 103 needs to be displayed to offer choices to the user. Such windows are also referred to as "dialog boxes" or dialog windows. In the illustrated example, new window 103 is displayed after the user has requested that the snapshot displayed in window 102 be closed. New window 103 requests a confirmation of the close request, and asks the user if the snapshot shown in window 102 should be saved before window 102 is closed.
In such applications, a window such as window 102 is considered to be a "parent window" with respect to a new window to be displayed, such as new window 103. A new window is typically related to its parent window in that the new window displays information related to its parent window. When a parent window such as window 102 is currently displayed and a new window such as new window 103 is to be displayed as well, a default position for the new window is typically selected, such as the center of the new window's parent window. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 1, new window 103 is positioned over the center of its parent window, window 102.
Unfortunately, such positioning can obscure important information otherwise displayed in the parent window. For example, in exemplary video display 100 of FIG. 1, in order to respond to the prompt of new window 103, the user must decide whether he or she wishes to save the snapshot displayed in snapshot window 102. However, because new window 103 is centered by default on top of the snapshot displayed in window 102, the user may have to manually move new window 103 out of the way in order to view the snapshot, before responding to the prompt of new window 103. Other default positions of new windows can also obscure useful information, since the position of the parent window and relative size of the parent and new windows are unpredictable. For example, if a new window is placed by default in the center of screen 101 rather than in the center of parent window 102, it may still obscure important information displayed in parent window 102, depending upon the size and position of parent window 102.
Such use of default positioning of new windows can thus obscure useful information shown in their parent windows. Such positioning can therefore cause inconvenience to a user, and can reduce the efficiency of operation of the computer. Additionally, besides obscuring information (graphical or otherwise) contained within a parent window, such overlap of the new window and its parent window can be annoying to a user.
There is thus a need for a video processing system and method that more intelligently positions new windows to reduce the aforementioned problems.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment which follows.